The pursuit of everything (in moderation)

running

I have been sick for the past (almost) 3 weeks. Yuck. And that means I haven’t worked out for pretty much 3 weeks.

It’s been so frustrating but this sickness is pretty much all respiratory so it makes a quick walk seem pretty taxing. The good news is that after fighting it for the first 2 weeks and trying to workout everyday still (unsuccessfully), I have given up and just slept in every morning, and I think it’s what is finally helping me beat this thing.

Who knew rest was good for a cold?

The terrible thing is that not only have I been not working out, but I have been eating without abandon. I have been eating like it is going out of style, like the world is about to end, like fried foods have no calories… you get the point.

BUT I am super excited because the Tone It Up BIKINI SERIES starts on Monday (technically Sunday for nutrition plan people!) And I am using it to really rocket me back into the healthy lifestyle that I miss and love.

If you haven’t heard of the Bikini Series, it’s an annual 8 week challenge to get Bikini Ready for summer. This will be my first year doing the Bikini Series, I found Tone It Up last year just as the series ended.

You can click on the picture above to find out more information and to sign up. It’s free to join the challenge or you can buy their nutrition plan (I love it) and right now it comes with a ton of other fun TIU stuff, so now is the time to buy the plan if you ever wanted to.

Okay, TIU commercial aside, the Bikini Series is all about setting your intentions. I feel like I started off my year REALLY STRONG with eating healthy, working out, journaling, and losing weight. Then I kinda fell of the wagon and haven’t been fully back on.

This weekend, I’m taking the time to reset my intentions from the beginning of the year. Here are a few things that really have helped me in the past, that I’m planning on doing during this challenge:

Journal about the day– surprisingly, this really helped keep me on track

Workout every single day– yes, still take rest days, but make them active rest days like with yoga or some light toning

Don’t treat myself with food– I just always go overboard, always.

Don’t be so hard on myself- not gonna lie, I can be a real b-i-t-c-h to myself sometimes. I have to focus on getting fit from loving myself, not from hating myself

Recruit friends- both real and social media. Checking in with friends has been a great way to keep me motivated and on track.

Currently, I am mourning the loss of my fitness level. Before I got sick I was doing pretty well with my running times, but now, I know that I will be starting from square 2 (not square 1).

I have a 10k next weekend, so, I guess we’ll see how that goes.

This bug seems to be getting EVERYONE. Anyone else been sick for-like-ever? How do you come back to working out after an illness?

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Also known as: the race I almost didn’t run, but thank goodness I did. Also known as: the race I took Uber to.

Alright, so let me paint this picture for you. The race started at 9AM and the start was 1.3 miles from my home. It was cold (about 42 degrees) and rainy. I woke up that morning, having barely done any real training for the race, and immediately thought about not showing up.

It was cold. And I was tired. And I didn’t have a plan of how to get to the race. And I couldn’t find my SpiBelt to stash all my things in.

^ TL;DR- I didn’t want to race.

Charging my Garmin and music the morning of. I was so prepared.

But, once my loving boyfriend informed me that I was, indeed, going to run and I was going to do great (which I didn’t believe) I decided to call myself an Uber (the race provided a code for a free Uber ride!) I even treated myself to a black car (instead of Uber X) because my first ride was freeeeeee!

Pro Tip: Put your hair in a bun if it’s going to be rainy, otherwise your hair will be one giant dreadlock. Also, I don’t like braid ponies because they whip me in my face. #wannabeballarina

I tried out a new bib placement since it would have been too bulky with my jacket if I placed it on my torso. I didn’t have any problems with it being on my leg, in fact, I really liked having it there!

When I got there, everyone seemed super excited about the race.

Just kidding, we all hung out under a bridge near the start until the MC begged us all to come over to the start line at 8:50.

My people. *PS the race posted pictures, but the link isn’t working, so I may have pictures at some point, but until then, just enjoy my photography skills. I call this one “Lone Volunteer in the Slow-ish Corral”

Special shout out to all of the volunteers who made this event possible. It sucks to run in the rain, but it’s gotta suck more to stand/ volunteer in it.

My whole race strategy (which I came up with on my way to the race) was to keep it steady for the first 3 miles and then try to pick up the pace on the last 2. It was an out and back course which I like (sometimes) because then you know exactly what is coming. Plus, you get to see the super fast people on their way back, while you’re still chugging along.

I thought I was totally going to crash during this race. Miles 2 & 3 felt hard while mile 4 stretched on F O R E V E R. But going into the 5th mile I realized I still had some energy in me!

These 2 girls in tutus and I had been neck and neck for a while, but into the last mile they made a surge to pass me. I thought about letting them pass, but then I remembered what my old cross country coach (whom I hated, just to be clear) used to say: “If someone makes a surge to pass you, stay on them, chances are they’re just surging to pass you, then they’ll slow down again, and you’ll be stuck staring at their back for the rest of the race.”

So I surged with them. And I’m so glad I did. It gave me the mental edge to keep pushing myself hard for that last mile. Eventually, in the last 400, I picked up my pace even more and left both of the tutu ladies behind and sprinted for the end.

My last mile was 8:45/mile.

My official finishing time was 45:37.53. 9:07/mile

That’s a PR for me! I mean, this was my first 5 miler, so anything would have been a PR, but that pace is close to last year’s 5K pace for me, so that’s exciting!

My Garmin’s timing was a little slower because I started it a hair too soon and ended it after I crossed the finish line, but it was ON POINT (or do we say “on fleek” now?) in the distance category. And the race started exactly on time.

So many round numbers. Some obsessive people have to be happy about this picture.

So, the moral of this story is, sometimes we can surprise ourselves, and sometimes, running the races that we don’t want to run, are the ones we should run the most. Also, I really like the 5 mile distance :-p

Have you ever totally not wanted to run but then ended up doing amazing?

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Guyssss I’m nervous :-0 I have my first race of 2015 and in true fashion, I haven’t really prepared for it.

-Said no one ever

Not to mention it is supposed to rain tomorrow 😦 and I will probably end up walking the 1.3 miles to the start line because there’s no good way for me to get there, unless I hail a cab or call an Uber…maybe I’ll do that?? I have no idea how I will get there tomorrow.

Really, I just love planning things. I was the person who played the Sims just to build the houses and decorate. My Sims would always wet themselves and starve to death or cry from not having any friends because I couldn’t take care of them. I’m much better at the planning to do things rather than DOING the things.

So aside from my rainy, terrible 5 miler on Saturday morning, I’m hoping to go see this movie in the afternoon.

If you’re as obsessed with ballet as I am, then this movie looks super good, right??? I’ll probably end up seeing it alone though, that’s what happens when you have 1 friend (and they have a life).

Just kidding, I actually like going to the movies alone. I’ve only gone alone once (to see Looper) and it was kind of awesome. I highly recommend everyone tries going to the movies alone at least once.

Aside from the movies, my boyfriend and I are going to his family’s place Saturday night for dinner so things are probably gonna get CRAAAZY. Just kidding, that’s my side of the family where things get crazy and weird 🙂

Most Reyes gatherings as they go into the night

Sunday I will be desperately trying to find a dress for my best friend’s wedding which is at the end of the month! I’m like a quasi-bridesmaid (since she’s not having bridesmaids) so I’m super confused if I have any perimeters of what I should wear. It seems like every suitable dress is either black or white. Neither of which are colors I think I can wear! (Well, definitely not white at least).

Anyone know of any good places to buy a dress (in person)? Have you ever gone to the movies alone? What movie?